My Personal National Craft Month Challenge: Do More For Me

I have been giving this a lot of thought, ever since I learned that March is National Craft Month. I know I am not the same physically as I used to be, and I may never be back to my whole self again. I struggle with that knowledge every single minute of every single day. I often walk into my sewing room and just sit in the chair for a few minutes. I look around me and see all my favorite things in there. My sewing machine. My trusty seam ripper (Yes, even though we have a love hate relationship, I still miss that old fool), all the lovely lovely fabric piles. And I make myself miserable when I do that.

A project for me–wall hanging organizer

Well, then this notion of National Craft Month came along, and I started thinking that maybe I could start with baby steps. Now, my idea of sewing is to get myself in the mode, cut out a hundred (okay, maybe 5 or 10) projects so that as soon as I finish one, I can pick up the next one and not lose momentum. And sit in that sewing room for hours on end, only coming out for nourishment and to use the bathroom. But then I thought that maybe, if I change my attitude and my modus operandi, I might be able to accomplish something in just thirty minutes a day. I have been in this thinking spree for a few days now. And then, I saw this post today. And I knew it was time for me set out on my journey up that damn mountain. If I never get out of the recliner and try, I will never make anything for sure.

a gift for Becca

I am going to start out with a goal of just thirty minutes a day. 30 minutes to cut, or pin, or stitch, or press, or whatever it is I need to do to MAKE SOMETHING. Or to FINISH SOMETHING. That is where part of my depression comes from: not being able to DO SOMETHING. So, I am going to start by just doing something for thirty minutes a day. I have a kitchen timer I can set, and when that thing dings, it’s like the end of the round in boxing–I’ll slink off to my recliner, my corner, and just rest for the remainder of the day.

I really don’t know what I will do first. I have so many things on my list, but the most pressing are these: Finish Parker’s quilt; finish Seth’s quilt; cut fabric for Emily’s quilt; make a circular needle case for Becca; make shirts for Parker, Spencer, Owen, and Michael; make a dress for Amelia; make an iPad cover for me. And many more things for Emily, Sarah and the other Sarah. It might take me all year to do this, but the end result will be a happier me.